Sanjit “Bunker” Roy, Founder of Barefoot College of India & Meagan Fallone, CEO of Barefoot College of India

Sanjit “Bunker” Roy is the founder of the internationally acclaimed Barefoot College in India, the only college built by and for the rural poor. During their public lecture, Roy and Fallone will share some of the “barefoot solutions” that have transformed the lives of more than 3 million rural people across 75 countries in the developing world. Barefoot College has also successfully trained grandmothers from throughout the developing world to be solar engineers so that they can bring electricity to their remote villages. The organization has created through its social justice approach, a highly innovative ecosystem where rural poor people have a voice in the design and innovation of their own technologies.  Bunker Roy was selected as one of Time’s 100 most influential personalities in 2010 for collaborating with villagers to find these “barefoot solutions” that center on solar energy, water, education, connectivity, health care, handicrafts and the empowerment of women.

The Honorable Kevin Rudd, who was twice Prime Minister of Australia, from 2007 to 2010, and again in 2013, will also participate in Roy’s visit, as a patron of the Barefoot College. Rudd is currently the president of the Asia Society Policy Institute in New York City.

Check out Roy’s TED talk here: https://www.ted.com/speakers/bunker_roy 

You have some great opportunities to engage with Roy and Fallone’s visit to campus:

Thursday, April 21 Public Lecture

5:30-6:30 pm      Maxwell Auditorium

Reception to follow

Friday, April 22 Moonlighting Discourse Series

7:00 pm                Gateway Center, SUNY ESF

ESF President, Dr. Quentin Wheeler, Bunker Roy, and former Honors Program Director Sam Gorovitz, Professor of Philosophy.